He has a connatural view of the world. The serene, pastoral quality of the scenes and landscapes he captures with his Canon® EOS Rebel camera show almost perfect perspective and symmetry. He has a gift for choosing the best vantage point and framing just the right image of every scene. The pictures veteran Baptist minister, evangelist, and Bible scholar Dr. Max Alderman views through his lens weren’t always so clear. When he first started a photography mission he refers to as “Capturing God’s Creation,” he had trouble focusing.

Diagnosed with Fuchs’ (fooks) dystrophy, a hereditary condition which affects the cornea - the eyes clear front window - Dr. Alderman’s condition deteriorated over time until he was almost legally blind. He stayed on the road as a guest evangelist as long as he felt was safe, using one eye at a time to focus, but his vision problems made his photography hobby difficult.

“I had trouble with good focus. My site was not good,” he said. After two corneal transplants and two cataract surgeries, he sees a whole new world. “Coming back, now I see clearly. I see light and shadow like never before,” he stated. “Now I see everything as a beautiful painting.”

The son of Harmon and Mattie Alderman grew-up with siblings Ronnie and Jo Agnes on the west side of Bulloch County in an area where the Alderman family has owned land for over 200 years. A carpenter by trade, Harmon Alderman was a dedicated Christian who hand-crafted the podium for his church. A podium from which he encouraged young Max to preach. Dr. Alderman remembers, “At a very young age I felt called to preach. After my conversion, Daddy pointed me in the right direction.”

“On Sunday mornings when I was little – probably eight-years-old, because I could read – Daddy would encourage me to preach and Ronnie to lead the singing,” he said.

He attended Mattie Lively and Statesboro High School, graduating in 1967. He went on to earn a PhD from Landmark Baptist College and was soon called to lead the congregation at Bible Baptist Church of Statesboro, a position he held for 27 years.

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2

An evangelical minister, Dr. Alderman’s homiletic style of preaching delivers a strong gospel message based on his diligent study of scripture. He believes in edifying the Bible while encouraging the congregation to follow the path to salvation, repenting from sin, and accepting Jesus Christ as Savior.

While still a young pastor, Dr. Alderman met Rev. Dr. C. L. Roach, a noted Bible teacher and preacher. Twenty years Dr. Alderman’s senior, Dr. Roach challenged the young evangelist to look at lesser known truths in scripture, “nuggets revealed through intense study.”

Dr. Roach exemplified in his own life a relationship he saw in the Bible, which he referred to as the “Pastor-Priesthood Parallel.” Dr. Roach noticed that priests in scripture served from 20 to 30 years. When approaching age 30, the age at which Christ began his ministry, Dr. Roach believed a young minister should look for a mentor who could impart wisdom and guidance.

After serving for 30 years as a minister Dr. Alderman related, “At around age 50, Dr. Roach believed a minister should no longer engage in the priesthood, but should start sharing his life experiences while mentoring younger pastors, moving on to another level of service.”

Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of God. Revelations 3:2 KJV

In 1995, Dr. Alderman told his congregation that he would one day soon be transitioning, leaving the pulpit at Bible Baptist to explore other levels of Christian service. Since that transition from leading a congregation fulltime, he has visited churches in over 40 countries and in most states within the U.S., spreading the Word. Dr. Alderman, along with wife Rhonda, now travels the country as a visiting evangelist, preaching by demand for revivals and other special events.

A prolific writer, Dr. Alderman’s sermons series can be found on-line at www.preacherscorner.org. He has also written five Bible commentaries, each about 350 pages, on the New Testament books of Mark, John, Hebrews, Philippians, and Revelations. Other books of Dr. Alderman’s include The Strategy of Preaching, The Holy Spirit - Sunday School & Discipleship, Balancing Out Your Prayer Life, and Christian Stewardship.

In this stage of his lifetime of ministry, Dr. Alderman focuses on five major themes:

1. Revival – expository preaching and prayer

2. Stewardship – giving and serving

3. Family and home

4. Missions – strengthening the local church

5. Church Edification – Bible commentaries & writing ministry

Dr. Alderman said, “We ought to always have in mind how we can use ourselves to glorify God. Not just on Sunday mornings, but all week, in all things. People like to separate the sacred and the secular and compartmentalize, but for a believer, everything you do should be sacred.”

This gives Dr. Alderman something to strive for in continuing to develop his ministries, including photography.

“Photography is about vantage point, perspective, and symmetry,” he said. “I find myself always carrying my camera around with me searching scenes for the right perspective. When I see it, I’ve got to get it.” Dr. Alderman’s mission of “Capturing God’s Creation” so far has been a four-year journey of showcasing the beauty of God’s world through his own eyes; a view he never gets tired of as seen through the lens of a camera he cannot put down.

Editor’s Note: Dr. Alderman’s books may be purchased at www.bethelbaptist.ca or downloaded to your Kindle at www.amazon.com. More of his pictures may be viewed on Facebook at Max Alderman Photography.